Thijs De Ridder’s first season at Virginia has already put him on a national list.
The Cavaliers forward was one of 20 players named Thursday, Oct. 29, to the preseason watch list for the 2027 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award, according to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The Malone Award, now in its 13th year, recognizes the top power forward in NCAA Division I men’s college basketball. It takes its name from Class of 2010 Hall of Famer and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Karl Malone.
De Ridder arrives on the list after earning All-ACC first-team honors last season, when he paced Virginia in both scoring and rebounding. He averaged 15.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.
In 2026-27, De Ridder also joined Malcolm Brogdon as the only Cavaliers to receive preseason ACC Player of the Year recognition. Brogdon was named co-Player of the Year before the 2015-16 season.
Fan voting opens Friday, Oct. 30, and supporters can help push their favorite player forward in the process. The watch list will be trimmed to 10 players in February, then cut to five in March.
Those five finalists will be sent to Malone and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee later in March, when the winner will be chosen. The committee includes media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers from the men’s and women’s college game.
The winner of the 2027 Malone Award will be announced on a date still to be determined, along with the rest of the Men’s Starting Five. The other awards in that group are the Bob Cousy Award for point guards, the Jerry West Award for shooting guards, the Julius Erving Award for small forwards and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award for centers.
Previous Malone Award winners include Cameron Boozer of Duke in 2026, Johni Broome of Auburn in 2025, Trayce Jackson-Davis of Indiana in 2023, Keegan Murray of Iowa in 2022, Drew Timme of Gonzaga in 2021, Obi Toppin of Dayton in 2020, Zion Williamson of Duke in 2019, Deandre Ayton of Arizona in 2018, Georges Niang of Iowa State in 2016 and Montrezl Harrell of Louisville in 2015.
The full 2027 watch list also features Paulius Murauskas of Arizona State, Mikka Muurinen of Arkansas, Jaxon Kohler of BYU, Joaquim Boumtje-Boumtje of Duke, Alex Condon of Florida, Braden Huff of Gonzaga, Joseph Tugler of Houston, David Mirkovic of Illinois, Aiden Sherrell of Indiana, Keanu Dawes of Kansas, Malik Reneau of Miami, J.P. Estrella of Michigan, Jaylen Crocker-Johnson of Minnesota, Caden Pierce of Purdue, Keyshawn Hall of St. John’s, Xavier Edmonds of TCU, David Punch of Texas, JT Toppin of Texas Tech and Na’jai Hines of UConn.
In Other News...
Virginias Upset Hopes Just Got Tougher Ahead Of Wake Forest
Virginia heads into its road matchup with No. 14 Wake Forest carrying a thinner margin for error than it would like, and the injury picture only adds to the challenge. Wide receiver Jekail Middlebrook is among the unavailable pieces, leaving Tony Elliott to navigate a difficult week as his offense tries to keep pace against a ranked opponent in a tough environment.
Elliott praised Wake Forests performance during his midweek press conference, but he also voiced confidence in the work his own team has put in. Still, the opening availability report is a reminder that Virginia may have to adjust on the fly, with multiple wide receiver injuries clouding the setup ahead of a game already stacked against the Cavaliers. [Read more 🡒]
Thijs De Ridder Just Raised Virginias Ceiling Even Higher
Thijs De Ridder keeps turning offseason buzz into something sturdier for Virginia. After earning All-ACC first-team honors last season, he has now been tabbed for the 2027 National Association of Basketball Coaches Division I Player of the Year Preseason Watch List, another sign that the Cavaliers enter the year with real top-end talent and not just promising depth. He is also one of two Virginia players to earn preseason ACC Player of the Year recognition, which says plenty about how opposing coaches view the ceiling in Charlottesville.
The watch list itself is another layer of attention on a player already expected to carry a big load for the Cavaliers. The award will be decided by Division I head coaches and announced during the week of the 2027 Mens Final Four, so there is a long runway ahead for De Ridder to build on last season and strengthen his case. For Virginia, the bigger takeaway is simple: if he takes another step, the teams ambitions could rise with him. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Faces A Make-Or-Break Test With One Huge Offensive Decision
Virginia heads into a tricky matchup with No. 14 Wake Forest sitting at 4-4, and the offense is clearly searching for a better rhythm at exactly the wrong time to be searching. Des Kitchings said the Cavaliers are looking to lean more on heavier personnel, with extra tight ends helping both the ground game and the play-action package as Virginia tries to find a more stable identity.
The quarterback picture is just as important, because Tony Elliott is still sticking with Pribula despite the recent struggles that have made every series feel more consequential. Eli Holstein remains there as an alternative if the Cavaliers decide they need a different look, but for now Virginia is trying to pair a more physical approach up front with the same starter under center against one of the tougher opponents on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]